Regressive autism?

[LoveleeB]

Is there any way to tell if my son has high-functioning autism or regressive autism? I know that with regressive autism there are small indications of autism prior to the regression so I live in fear that I will wake up one morning and my son will be completely different.

The autistic "traits" that my son has are:

-Inability to have any sort of conversation (Even babbling - he has never babbled to me)

-Chews everything

-Does not understand emotion or tone of voice (nor does he have different tones of voice)

-Lack of fear

-Never calls for "Mama" or "Dada" when he needs something (even to get out of bed)

-Bangs head extremely hard when upset

-Has certain quirks that things need to be 'just so' - like at his grandparents he has to take all of the glassware out of the bottom drawer in the kitchen but plastic stuff can stay in the drawer.

-Picky eater (which is getting worse)

-Pretty uncoordinated

-Can only play "pretend" when I've shown him what to do (like he will now "pretend" to eat soup from a pot because I showed him how to play like that but he never expands on it)

There are a few other things but mostly he's social enough (at least with adults that don't come on to strong), has good eye contact and mostly responds to his name. He also seems okay with change.

He also has a big head. It hasn't grown a ton but did go from the 93% to the 97% (He was at 93% when he was born, quickly went to 95% and was steady there until about 6 months when he jumped to 97% where he stayed till about 18 months, now he's at about 95% again)

If anyone has any opinions, I'd love to hear them. I worry so much.

 

[lisa35]

Can't give any advise but just wanted to say he sounds very much like my 2 year old other than the eye contact which my Lo doesn't have very often

 

[JASMAK]

Now, I thought high-functioning and low-functioning had to do with any mental ******ation. That is why I CRINGE when people ask if my child is 'high-functioning' or 'low-functioning'. I think, now I may be wrong here, I don't know, but I think people confuse high/low functioning with the TYPE of autism spectrum. You can have some with aspergers who cannot live on their own, or one that is a doctor and works well and has a family, and you can have the same with 'autistic disorder' etc...they all vary. I am not really sure now what they mean. My daughter is pretty high-functioning with classic autism or 'autistic disorder'. When she was first diagnosed she was low functioning PDD-NOS...meaning that she was so far behind...but due to her age, they couldn't accurately complete the 'mental ******ation' assessments. Now they have. I hope I am making sense...and perhaps this isn't even what you were asking??? lol If anything, I think your son will only get better with time, as has been the case with my daughter...but I know that fear. I also fear, as Makena is only grade one, that one day she will be at her capacity for learning/coping/healing. Then what? I can't go there tho...just one day at a time.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

Now, I thought high-functioning and low-functioning had to do with any mental ******ation. That is why I CRINGE when people ask if my child is 'high-functioning' or 'low-functioning'. I think, now I may be wrong here, I don't know, but I think people confuse high/low functioning with the TYPE of autism spectrum. You can have some with aspergers who cannot live on their own, or one that is a doctor and works well and has a family, and you can have the same with 'autistic disorder' etc...they all vary. I am not really sure now what they mean. My daughter is pretty high-functioning with classic autism or 'autistic disorder'. When she was first diagnosed she was low functioning PDD-NOS...meaning that she was so far behind...but due to her age, they couldn't accurately complete the 'mental ******ation' assessments. Now they have. I hope I am making sense...and perhaps this isn't even what you were asking??? lol If anything, I think your son will only get better with time, as has been the case with my daughter...but I know that fear. I also fear, as Makena is only grade one, that one day she will be at her capacity for learning/coping/healing. Then what? I can't go there tho...just one day at a time.

You have summed up what I would put. It is very confusing to understand but at the end of the day the OT said to me Autism is autism whever it is high/low/regressive etc, it does not matter.

xxx

 

[Chimpette]

My doctor explained it that high functioning autism was when the child didn't have any learning disabilities..??

There are so many things, I can't keep up with it all.. haha

 

[pixiebaby87]

ihonestly think its such a grey area, what your describing sounds very much like an autistic child.

i have 3 friends with autistic children each one with a different level of severity.

one of the boys is an adoreable 4 year old.. i mentioned something to her when i baby sat him for the day. i noticed he was rocking back and forward whilst eating and didnt interact with my 4 year old or look her in he eye.

when they were babies they seemed *on the same level* as the time has gone by you can clearly see how both of our children deal with situations so differently.

she was fobbed off basically until she made somebody listen.

sometimes it may just be behaviour issues but if genuinly feel its more go with your mothers instinct. the earlier their is a diagnosis the earlier you can help your child xxxx

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

High functioning is about learning difficulty's normally but can vary.

 

[KittieB]

A child with low functioning autism has an IQ which is below average and a language impairment.
A child with high functioning autism has an average to above average IQ with a language impairment.
A child with Asperger's Syndrome has an average to above average IQ with no language impairment.

Not all children with autism have a regression and it's not used as diagnostic criteria in the UK. New guidelines have recently been released in the UK saying that autistic children should be given a general diagnosis of autistic disorder as opposed to the different types of autism, although i'm not sure if that relates to you in Canada.

Don't worry yourself, it sounds like he is still young but if you are worried then see someone about it, they may be able to put you at ease

 

[LoveleeB]

I did not realize the true definition of "high functioning" autism, thank you all for clarifying that for me.

As for taking my DS to see someone, I have. He's seen his pediatrician twice but her exact words were "he cannot have autism as he can talk". I know that's not true but I don't know what else to do.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

aw thats a hard one, my friends son actually got diagnosed with aspergers and they later took away and changed it to autism, they said they should have looked at other factors other than the speech dely.

My son is not low or high functioning autism, just bang in middle of spectrum autism x